Where does 3D printing fit into your pedagogical thinking?

Some see 3D printing as a disruptive technology for education. A 3D printer permits a digital model to be made into a 3D object. Other software programs enable 2D photos to be made into 3D files for 3D printing and by using an iPhone or iPad to take pictures around a solid object. It is possible to use the Autodesk cloud to create a 3D print of that object and MakerBot has produced a 3D photo booth to print a replica of one’s face. There are now many examples of 3D printers being used for creative projects in higher education institutions in areas such as STEM studies, art, anthropology, architecture and history. This presentation by an anatomist will cover the hardware and software required for 3D printing and share 3D printed anatomical human dissections specially designed for tactile learning by visually impaired students.

I purchased a MakerBot Replicator 2 last January and will focus on CAD-free production of files needed for 3D printing 2D images (photographs, jpeg files) from disciplines such as anatomy, histology, cell biology, astronomy and geology. I will also share a tactile learning object aimed at assisting blind or visually impaired students to study cell mitosis by touch and feel. I will also show how the Replicator 2 can be used to print Braille. I’ll also talk briefly about the 3D scanners coming out in the near future as well as the 3D pen for free hand 3D art creation. I will bring with me quite a few 3D prints I have made and would be happy to talk with you about the art of 3D printing, i.e., what I have found works for successful 3D printing. I only have 30 minutes time to present so demonstrating its use will not be possible but I can tell you what has worked for me and what I have learned about making 3D prints.

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